Lenten Reflections: Expectations

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:48 

Do we expect to be perfect? Or is this an unrealistic expectation from God?

It's not even 9am, and I've already blown this concept. How about you? How are you IMperfect today?

Greed? Lust? Selfishness? Anger? Hatred? Bitterness? ___________?

Our sense of entitlement can lead to negative expectations.

Negative expectations don't make us better, they make us flawed. Negative expectations put the focus on ourselves, not others. Not God. Not the Kingdom.  Positive expecting makes us perfect.    


"God, I expect you to do this for me!  I deserve it!" = SELF

or

 "God, I expect You to do this! Because You are good!" = GOD

"I expect you to make me happy! I deserve to be happy, dammit!" = SELF

or

"I expect you to make me happy! Because of who you are!" = OTHERS

Expectations, or demands? Joyful anticipation, or selfish lingering?

Negative expectations are an inner driven motivator. Real expectation comes from the external goodness of God and the world around us. 


What we think we deserve and what we come to expect, from ourselves and from others, can easily become one and the same thing.

Fair? 

Right? 

Healthy? 

When we feel entitled, the natural progression is to expect that which we feel entitled to. This becomes unfair to ourselves and others. It's not right. And it's unhealthy to our relationships.

As selfishness is the motivator for entitlement, arrogance breeds expectations.

Lent is the perfect time to meditate on the concept of negative expectations, because it opens the door for us to see just how arrogant we can be.

As we move closer to Easter, let's commit to negatively expect nothing from others, but to EXPECT the best IN others. Let's refuse to negatively expect God to change us because we are entitled, but EXPECT God to transform us because of who He is.

Lord, we expect an awful lot from You and others. Not all of our expectations are positive, in fact, most of them arise from a selfish arrogance. Help us to learn to expect from an outside perspective, not inner. Help us to expect because of the goodness in others and You, not selfishness. Amen. 

Stations of the Cross - Jesus Carries His Cross

Station 2 

Jesus Carries His Cross  

“So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgatha).”

John 19:16 & 17

Led to Calvary,

carrying the cross

By Yourself.

Alone.

Abandon. 

Yet was the cross only Yours,

or was it mine to carry as well?

Jesus, by Your cross

make me strong and able

to take up the cross that I

 must bear each day.

I meditate on the wood.

The weight.

The pain.

I carry it with you, Lord.

I won’t let go.

Art by Lindsey Leigh - 2006  

Lenten Reflections: Entitlement

"....they crucified Jesus...and they cast lots to divide his clothing." - Luke 22:33-34
 
"Mine!"

Even the youngest of children have an entitlement mentality.   

We want what is OURS.  We want what we deserve. We want what we earned. We want to keep what we've worked for. 

"It's mine!"

A sense of entitlement permeates the culture that we live in. One of the disadvantages of a Capitalistic society is that it has the propensity to create selfishness. And one of the after effects of selfishness is a false sense of security. With the tightest of grips, we hold on to what is OURS. Our "stuff" makes us feel safe.

The poor remain poor.

The wealthy remain wealthy.

We keep what's ours.

Christ lived a life of poverty. He came into this world with nothing. He left this world with nothing. Even after His last breath was breathed, the last few possessions were taken from Him.

While His example was one of humility, selflessness and sacrifice, Western Christianity has not exactly followed His lead. Our possessions become weights around our necks that keep us from fulfilling what Christ has called us to do. A culture of over-consumption has made even the poorest in America wealthy by the worlds standards.

Instead of building God's Kingdom for all, we have chosen to build little kingdoms for ourselves.

If we could narrow down the main message of Lent, it would be sacrifice. We sacrifice in order to share oneness with Christ, while reflecting on the sacrificial life that He lived. We sacrifice so that our hearts become more open to sin; sin that was covered over by sacrificial death.

Nothing is really OURS to begin with. When we see life from this perspective, OURS becomes THEIRS. THEIRS becomes GOD'S, and in divine irony, GOD'S becomes OURS.

Lord, in a culture  of consumption and possession, we find it difficult to let go of what we feel we are entitled to. In doing so, we don't reveal Your Kingdom, but build kingdoms for ourselves. Help us to let go of the entitlement mentality and focus more our releasing more of what we have. We thank You for Your blessings and ask You to help us take better care or what You're given us. Amen  


 

 

Stations of the Cross - Jesus is Condemned

Station 1

Jesus is Condemned

“‘Here is your king’,  

Pilate said to the Jews.  But they shouted, ‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!’… Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.”

John 19:14-16

“Behold your king,” says Pilate.

“Away with him,” The people shout.

And they sent you to your death.

Lord Jesus, Word made flesh,

Light for this dark world,

Light my path

In times that I feel alone

Rejected

Condemned

As this journey begins,

As you stand before me,

 condemned by the world,

may love compel my every

 step, as I walk with you

Art by Lindsey Leigh - 2006

Lenten Reflections: Connected

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations," - Matthew 28:19

Matthew 28:19 often gets showed in the face of would-be evangelists as their marching orders. The clarion call to young zealous seminary graduates. 

EVANGELISM 101 - THEREFORE, GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

Translation: Ask everyone you meet if they have a "personal relationship with Jesus". 

When they develop a glazed look across their face, nervously uttering, "Ummm. No.", hit 'em with shock and awe, asking, "Where are you going to be in 100 years?" 

Time for the "Sinners Prayer"! 


"How many people have you shared the Gospel with this week? I'm up to 15.5 people and it's only Wednesday!" 

It's frustrating when you think about how mechanical we've made our faith. We take a verse like Matthew 28:19 and turn it into something it was never intended to be. 

Making disciples is not about making "Christians".

Making disciples is not about "saving" people.

Making disciples is not a sales technique.

Making disciples is not about fear.

Making disciples is not about reciting a prayer.

Making disciples is not a numbers game.
 
When we "go and make disciples", we're going to connect; connect people to ourselves, connect people to community and connect people to Christ. We find ourselves living a life that refuses to be withdrawn. Connection is the only alternative. We are so compelled by following the ways of Christ, that we can't help but encourage others to follow Him as well.  We become spiritual magnets that attract others to be connected to us, and through us, connected to Christ. Making disciples is about following Christ. And unfortunately, many refuse to follow because they are confused by the Christ we follow.

The Jesus of 2013 looks very different from the one who actually walked the earth. Disciples of Jesus look very different from the ones who walked with Him. 

We've taken ownership of the Gospel and twisted it into Christianity.

We've taken ownership of Christ and twisted Him into _____________.

We're called to make disciples. We're called to connect. Engage. 

We're called into the culture around us, not out of it. We're called to live with people, not just sell them on an idea of salvation that will eventually mean nothing to them. 

We're called to draw those who are withdrawn, into a family of connection. Unity. But we can only accomplish this if we are connected ourselves.

Lord, send us out to make disciples. Send us out to connect. Send us out to build relationships. Send us out to build community. Keep us connected to You, so that others will see the need to connect to You as well. Let us live the Gospel in our lives so closely, that we have no need for words in bringing others into this family that follows Your Son. Amen.